Studies addressing grocery store, student housing

Christina Pawzun (left) and Morgan Meyer study in Founders Hall at St. Mary’s University in 2009. BILLY CALZADA / EXPRESS-NEWS

The hot downtown discussion was the grocery store — when, where, etc. — but it seems to have been replaced by the creation of more housing units in the urban core, and the city’s role in assisting such development.

The city has commissioned a pair of exploratory studies on both these topics.

• The grocery store study is being done by HR&A Advisors, Inc., the same group behind the city’s downtown framework plan, and the more detailed action plan. City Council is expected to debate in detail the second document before the end of the month.

Mark Brodeur, head of the center city development office, said the grocery store report is not being done at the request of local grocery giant HEB, or any other grocer.

The report’s main purpose is to pinpoint the best location for the grocery store — whether than be along the Broadway corridor to complement the nearly-1,000 new units under construction, or somewhere south to accommodate the Lavaca and King William neighborhoods, among others.

The study will also look at the size of the store in relation to its surroundings.

Brodeur said the report is not yet complete.

• The feasibility study for student housing is being done by Keyser Marston Associates of San Francisco. Brodeur said last week the city is having its first meeting with those consultants today.

“We are not going to try and make it happen if the study comes back and says there’s no market for it,” Brodeur said.

It’s a seemingly popular idea. For example, at last week’s City Council meeting, a mini-debate unfolded about how, or even if, the city should make such a strong commitment to developing housing in general downtown. On the opposite sides of the spectrum are council members Diego Bernal and Elisa Chan. But they have both said that they support housing for college students.

A report by Trinity students that SA2020 has informally adopted suggests that housing for students from multiple universities and colleges would generate that youthful energy the city so desperately desires.

Brodeur said the city has not been received any formal proposals for the development of student housing.

And what is student housing exactly? It could be inexpensive apartments, or true student housing with common areas. Location and transportation will likely be the biggest components of the report, Brodeur said.